Dan Cortese
Encyclopedia
Daniel James "Dan" Cortese ; born September 14, 1967) is an American
actor
, director and spokesperson. He is known for his roles as Perry Rollins on Veronica's Closet
and as Vic Meladeo on What I Like About You
.
. He is of Sicilian descent. Prior to becoming an actor, he was a walk-on member of the University of North Carolina football team as a backup quarterback
. His freshman year he traveled with the team to the Aloha Bowl
. He graduated with a B.A. in Broadcasting from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
.
. He had starring roles in the 1993 remake/sequel of Route 66
, Traps, The Single Guy
, Veronica's Closet
(in which he played Perry for three seasons), Rock Me Baby and Ball & Chain. Cortese appeared in the NBC
television series Seinfeld
, where he played Tony, Elaine's ultra-cool, vapid, good-looking boyfriend. In the episode, entitled "The Stall
", he was dubbed a "mimbo" (a male bimbo). He was also featured in The WB
television series What I Like About You
in a recurring role as Vic, Val's boss, from 2002 to 2003 a role he reprised as a series regular from 2005 to 2006 during the fourth and final season, which he directed one episode and in two episodes of 8 Simple Rules
in 2004, playing Bridget's tennis coach. He has also starred in the natural horror film Locusts: The 8th Plague
.
During Burger King
's "Your Way, Right Away" advertising campaign during the 1990s, Cortese was hired as the fast-food company's official spokesperson.
He was the host of My Dad Is Better Than Your Dad
, which aired on NBC
for one season before being cancelled. Dan then appeared on the first season of Superstars
as the partner of Lisa Leslie
.
In 2008, Cortese landed a role in Soccer Mom
as a famous Italian soccer player alongside Emily Osment
.
He was the co-host of the ABC
game show
, Crash Course
(which was canceled after 4 episodes) and hosts VH-1's Money Hungry
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, director and spokesperson. He is known for his roles as Perry Rollins on Veronica's Closet
Veronica's Closet
Veronica's Closet is a sitcom which aired on NBC from September 25, 1997, to June 27, 2000.The show starred Kirstie Alley as Veronica “Ronnie” Chase, the head of her own lingerie company.- Season one :...
and as Vic Meladeo on What I Like About You
What I Like About You (TV series)
What I Like About You is an American television sitcom set mainly in New York City, following the lives of two sisters, Valerie Tyler and Holly Tyler . The series ran on The WB Television Network from September 20, 2002, to March 24, 2006, with a total of 86 episodes produced...
.
Early life
Cortese was born in Sewickley, PennsylvaniaSewickley, Pennsylvania
Sewickley is a borough in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, west northwest of Pittsburgh along the Ohio River. It is a residential suburb of Pittsburgh. The population was 3,827 at the 2010 census...
. He is of Sicilian descent. Prior to becoming an actor, he was a walk-on member of the University of North Carolina football team as a backup quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
. His freshman year he traveled with the team to the Aloha Bowl
Aloha Bowl
The Aloha Bowl was a National Collegiate Athletic Association Football Bowl Subdivision college football bowl game played in Honolulu, Hawaii at Aloha Stadium. With the exception of the 1983-86 playings, the Aloha Bowl was traditionally played on Christmas morning in Honolulu. For most of its...
. He graduated with a B.A. in Broadcasting from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a public research university located in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States...
.
Career
Cortese first came to prominence as host of MTV Sports from 1992 to 1997. He gained further recognition in 1995 as Jess Hanson in Melrose Place. He played Jake Hanson's half brother for 8 episodes in the third season but was killed off in that season's finale. He had the main role as Jason in the 1996 movie The LotteryThe Lottery
"The Lottery" is a short story by Shirley Jackson, first published in the June 26, 1948, issue of The New Yorker. Written the same month it was published, it is ranked today as "one of the most famous short stories in the history of American literature"....
. He had starring roles in the 1993 remake/sequel of Route 66
Route 66 (TV series)
Route 66 is an American TV series in which two young men traveled across America. The show ran weekly on CBS from 1960 to 1964. It starred Martin Milner as Tod Stiles and, for two and a half seasons, George Maharis as Buz Murdock. Maharis was ill for much of the third season, during which time Tod...
, Traps, The Single Guy
The Single Guy
The Single Guy is an American television sitcom that ran for two seasons on NBC, from September 1995 to April 1997. It starred Jonathan Silverman as struggling New York City writer Jonathan Eliot, and followed several of his close friends The series also starred Joey Slotnick as Eliot's best...
, Veronica's Closet
Veronica's Closet
Veronica's Closet is a sitcom which aired on NBC from September 25, 1997, to June 27, 2000.The show starred Kirstie Alley as Veronica “Ronnie” Chase, the head of her own lingerie company.- Season one :...
(in which he played Perry for three seasons), Rock Me Baby and Ball & Chain. Cortese appeared in the NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
television series Seinfeld
Seinfeld
Seinfeld is an American television sitcom that originally aired on NBC from July 5, 1989, to May 14, 1998, lasting nine seasons, and is now in syndication. It was created by Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld, the latter starring as a fictionalized version of himself...
, where he played Tony, Elaine's ultra-cool, vapid, good-looking boyfriend. In the episode, entitled "The Stall
The Stall
"The Stall" is the seventy-sixth episode of the NBC sitcom Seinfeld. It is the twelfth episode of the fifth season, and first aired on January 6, 1994.-Plot:...
", he was dubbed a "mimbo" (a male bimbo). He was also featured in The WB
The WB Television Network
The WB Television Network is a former television network in the United States that was launched on January 11, 1995 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and Tribune Broadcasting. On January 24, 2006, CBS Corporation and Warner Bros...
television series What I Like About You
What I Like About You (TV series)
What I Like About You is an American television sitcom set mainly in New York City, following the lives of two sisters, Valerie Tyler and Holly Tyler . The series ran on The WB Television Network from September 20, 2002, to March 24, 2006, with a total of 86 episodes produced...
in a recurring role as Vic, Val's boss, from 2002 to 2003 a role he reprised as a series regular from 2005 to 2006 during the fourth and final season, which he directed one episode and in two episodes of 8 Simple Rules
8 Simple Rules
8 Simple Rules is an American sitcom that originally aired on ABC from September 17, 2002, to April 15, 2005, with 76 episodes produced over three seasons. It is based on the self-improvement book of the same name. The show starred John Ritter until his death on September 11, 2003...
in 2004, playing Bridget's tennis coach. He has also starred in the natural horror film Locusts: The 8th Plague
Locusts: The 8th Plague
Locusts: The 8th Plague is a 2005 natural horror film directed by Ian Gilmour and starring Dan Cortese, Julie Benz and David Keith. The film is about a group of scientists who have to stop a swarm of flesh eating locusts that escape from a secret genetics laboratory in Idaho.-Plot:The film starts...
.
During Burger King
Burger King
Burger King, often abbreviated as BK, is a global chain of hamburger fast food restaurants headquartered in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The company began in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida-based restaurant chain...
's "Your Way, Right Away" advertising campaign during the 1990s, Cortese was hired as the fast-food company's official spokesperson.
He was the host of My Dad Is Better Than Your Dad
My Dad Is Better Than Your Dad
My Dad Is Better Than Your Dad is a reality sports TV show on NBC that premiered on February 18, 2008. The show is produced by Mark Burnett, producer of other shows like Survivor, The Apprentice, and Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?, and was hosted by actor Dan Cortese...
, which aired on NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
for one season before being cancelled. Dan then appeared on the first season of Superstars
Superstars
Superstars is an all-around sports competition that pits elite athletes from different sports against one another in a series of athletic events resembling a decathlon....
as the partner of Lisa Leslie
Lisa Leslie
Lisa Deshaun Leslie-Lockwood is a former American professional women's basketball player in the WNBA. She is a three-time WNBA MVP and a four-time Olympic gold medal winner...
.
In 2008, Cortese landed a role in Soccer Mom
Soccer Mom (film)
Soccer Mom is a 2008 direct-to-video film.-Storyline:The film begins with Wendy, a soccer mom, waking up her three children, Sammy, Kelci, and the oldest, Becca. Later at Becca's soccer game, Coach Kenny announces that the team will be playing "Team Malibu", an unbeatable team...
as a famous Italian soccer player alongside Emily Osment
Emily Osment
Emily Jordan Osment is an American teen actress, singer-songwriter and voice actress born in Los Angeles, California. After working in several television films in her childhood, she gained fame for co-starring as Gerti Giggles in Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams and Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over...
.
He was the co-host of the ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
game show
Game show
A game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
, Crash Course
Crash Course (game show)
Crash Course is an American game show that premiered on ABC on August 26th, 2009. It is hosted by Orlando Jones and Dan Cortese. The series has teams of two competing for a golden steeringwheel and $50,000...
(which was canceled after 4 episodes) and hosts VH-1's Money Hungry
Money Hungry
Money Hungry is a reality TV weight loss competition show based around the concept of bet dieting, with twelve teams of two competing for a $100,000 prize made up from team contributions.-Contestants:-Weigh-ins and eliminations:...
.
External links
- University of North Carolina Famous Alumni
- Entertainment WeeklyEntertainment WeeklyEntertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
"Dan Dan The Whopper Man" article http://www.ew.com/ew/report/0,6115,306968_7%7C30216%7C%7C0_0_,00.html